W.Va. GOP Nixes Speaker Facing Federal Sentencing

Updated: August 6, 2014 at 5:58 p.m. The West Virginia GOP has canceled an event where a conservative scholar would have spoken four days before his sentencing for federal campaign finance violations. State Republican Party Chairman Conrad Lucas says the September 19 Victory Dinner featuring Dinesh D'Souza in Charleston is canceled. He says the event will be rebooked.

Original Post Published: August 6, 2014 at 12:47 p.m.

A conservative scholar and author will headline a West Virginia GOP event four days before his sentencing for federal campaign finance violations.

A state Republican Party news release says Dinesh D'Souza will speak at the party's annual Victory Dinner on September 19 in Charleston.

In May, D'Souza pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to getting two associates to make $10,000 contributions to Wendy Long. She lost the 2012 New York Senate race to Democratic incumbent Kristen Gillibrand.

D'Souza could face 10 to 16 months in prison.

In the news release, West Virginia GOP Chairman Conrad Lucas called D'Souza a warrior for conservative values and a brilliant academic.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito said that the congresswoman, who is running for U.S. Senate, will not attend the dinner and will not allow her name to be associated with it in any way.

“Neither the campaign nor Shelley had any knowledge of the decision to invite D’Souza to speak, nor do we agree with the invitation,” Capito spokeswoman Amy Graham said in an email.

State Republican Party field director Matt Dailer said D’Souza’s guilty plea was “a concern,” and referred questions to Lucas, who did not immediately return requests for comment.

A San Diego resident, D'Souza created the high-grossing documentary "2016: Obama's America" that criticized the president.